Jack Saddleback

Jack Saddleback is an award-winning artist who delves into many art mediums that cover such topics as gender, sexuality and race. Jack is a Cree two-spirit transgender gay man from the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta. Growing up as a genderqueer child, he faced bullying and discrimination at school and in his community. He was diagnosed with severe depression. With the help of conventional therapy in conjunction with traditional Cree ceremonies that place a holistic lens on recovery, he was able to overcome his depression. As president of the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union for the 2014-15 academic year, Jack worked to promote mental health among undergraduate students. Along with mental health activism, he advocates for gender and sexual diversity issues, two-spirit issues, and HIV/AIDS. He understands that all people need to speak up and inspire one another to take charge of their own recovery.